Equity union says filming scenes at home amounts to unpaid labour and reinforces elitism

Actors seeking their next role are now routinely asked to “self-tape” their auditions, a practice that amounts to unpaid labour and reinforces elitism in the creative industries, the union Equity has warned.

Before the Covid lockdowns, self-tapes were a fallback for anyone unable to make an in-person casting – for example if they were working abroad. But during the pandemic they became the norm and have remained so ever since.